'Everyone talking about...': Kotak defends Gautam Gambhir after Kolkata defeat
What's the story
Indian men's cricket team batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has come out in defense of head coach Gautam Gambhir. The defense comes after India's disappointing performance in the 1st Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens last week. India could not chase down a target of 124 runs on a challenging pitch, leading to widespread criticism of Gambhir's leadership and strategy.
Balanced perspective
Kotak questions one-sided criticism
Speaking ahead of the 2nd Test in Guwahati, Kotak questioned the one-sided criticism directed at Gambhir. He said, "Everyone is talking about Gautam Gambhir. No one is saying that the batsmen, the bowlers, or the support staff could have done things differently." Kotak highlighted that all team members share equal responsibility for their performance on the field.
Pitch controversy
Kotak defends Eden Gardens pitch curator
Kotak also defended Sujan Mukherjee, the chief curator at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, against criticism over the pitch conditions. He added that even the management didn't expect such a gripping ball on day two. "When we play a Test at home or travel abroad, every home team plays to its strengths," he added while explaining their preference for spin-friendly tracks in India.
Pitch explanation
Kotak explains unexpected pitch conditions
Kotak elaborated on the unexpected pitch conditions during the last match, saying, "The pitch was dusty and crumbling a bit. That was unexpected." He said they expected spinners to come into play from Day 3 but were surprised by how much turn there was on the second day. He suggested this might have happened because of a dry top layer and a hard surface underneath with excessive rolling.
Gambhir's position
Gambhir's stance on pitch request
Kotak also spoke about Gambhir's stance on the pitch after their loss in Kolkata. He said, "Gautam took all the blame for the pitch in the last match. He simply said that we had requested such a pitch as he didn't want to throw the curators under the bus." After the match, Gambhir defended the pitch at Eden Gardens, saying it had "no demons."
Match
How the 1st Test panned out
India missed the services of skipper Shubman Gill in the chase as they faltered. Gill was admitted to the hospital after suffering a neck spasm while batting in the first innings. India, thereby, succumbed to the deteriorating Kolkata pitch and fell to spinners. In what appeared to be a modest run-chase, the hosts folded for 93. Only Washington Sundar (31) and Axar Patel (26) scored 20-plus runs. With a 30-run win, South Africa lead the two-match series 1-0.